Women in South Dakota: Earnings and the Pay Gap
Measured median earnings for women and men who work full-time, year-round in South Dakota, from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2024). Every figure on this page lists its source and year.
Where South Dakota sits
In 2024, the median woman working full-time, year-round in South Dakota earned $50,661, compared with $61,219 for the median man: 82.8 cents on the dollar, a difference of $10,558. That is below the national figure of 83.1% and ranks South Dakota #26 of 51 (50 states plus DC, 1 = smallest gap). ACS figures are survey estimates with margins of error, so states with similar ratios may not differ meaningfully.
These are all-occupation medians. Part of any state gap reflects differences in the jobs and hours women and men work; the figures describe the gap, not its causes.
Professions: modeled estimates for South Dakota
There is no official state-by-profession pay gap series. The Pay Gap Lookup shows measured national BLS medians for each profession (2025) and South Dakota’s measured ACS gap, plus a clearly labeled modeled estimate: the national BLS median for women in the job, adjusted by South Dakota’s ACS women-to-men ratio relative to the national ratio. It assumes the job’s gap moves with the state’s overall gap, which may not hold.
Representation
For the current share of women in the South Dakota legislature, statewide offices, and Congress, see the Center for American Women and Politics (Rutgers), which updates these counts after each election.
Fields (national data)
Other US states
Related national data & research
Frequently asked
What is the gender pay gap in South Dakota?
In 2024, women working full-time, year-round in South Dakota had median earnings of $50,661 versus $61,219 for men, or 82.8% (Census ACS 2024 1-year, table B20017).
How does South Dakota compare with the US?
The national figure is 83.1% ($55,678 vs $66,965). South Dakota ranks #26 of 51 on this measure, before accounting for margins of error.
Are the profession figures for South Dakota measured?
No. Profession medians are national BLS figures. The South Dakota profession figures in the Pay Gap Lookup are modeled estimates and are labeled that way.